Chapter 11

Eleven

Teachers, another reminder that the break room is not a nap room. And that old couch is most decidedly not built for two!

MERRY

I had no idea what possessed me to say Nolan could share my old room. It had precisely one bed and a too-small loveseat, which my mother knew full well and was why she was beaming. She’d said many times since Alyssa left that she just wanted me to be happy. At least she wasn’t overtly teasing, though that would come later. I could have joined the boys in the bunk room, taken a hammock, the swing on the porch, or hell, even the bathtub or my car because sharing with Nolan was going to be torture.

Nolan, however, didn’t seem in the least put out, happily following me up the stairs after we’d said goodnight to the boys and endured more than one wink from my mother. My parents and Grandpa had ground-floor rooms. Thank goodness for small mercies. Also, Nolan’s usual enthusiasm made it hard to stay mad at my impulsiveness.

“Oh, you have your own balcony!” He looked around my room, undoubtedly noticing the single queen-sized bed but focusing on the balcony where I’d spent many a teen hour gazing at the sunset while lying in the hammock.

“And my own bathroom.” I gestured at the door to the side of the closet. “Perks of being an only kid.”

“It’s an adorable room.” He smiled at the same posters of famous surfers I’d had up since forever, most of which had originally hung in the store as ads for various surf products. My tie-dyed bedspread was ancient, but it had faded to a softness that would be hard to duplicate with something new.

“That’s one way to say my mom hasn’t redecorated the space since I was fourteen.” I chuckled, caught up in Nolan’s excitement as always. “She keeps threatening to turn it into a guest suite or yoga studio, but she never does.”

“Well, seriously, I love it.” He grinned back. “My place in New York is a total hodgepodge of vintage finds and stuff my parents discarded during redecorating flurries at their place.”

Whipping out his phone, he flipped to pictures of a cozy little studio that was nothing like I’d imagined. No designer minimalist space, no leather and chrome. A bed in the corner was made up with more throw pillows than any one person should own, but each pillow was different. No matchy-matchy anywhere in the studio.

“I like it.” My gaze darted around the room as I tried to decide at what point I should address the only-one-bed issue.

“I’m glad.” Nolan peered at me curiously. “You seem nervous. Are you regretting saying we could share your room?”

“No, it’s fine. I’m fine.” I looked down at my feet, shuffling like this was the first time I’d had another person up here.

“We don’t have to do anything,” Nolan said earnestly.

“I know,” I groaned. Nolan took a step toward the loveseat.

“I’m probably short enough for this.” He fluffed a cushion like that might magically make the loveseat longer.

“You are not.” The moon was out and a soft breeze whispered through the night. And then Nolan smiled softly, and I was a total goner. Not allowing myself time to overthink, I pulled him toward me and kissed him in one smooth move. He was as sweet as I remembered, melting into my embrace.

“That felt like something.” Hands on my sides, he pulled back to beam up at me.

“It wasn’t nothing,” I admitted.

“If you kiss me again, I won’t tell anyone.” He winked at me, all playful. There was no way I was resisting him any longer.

“You’ll be my secret Santa?” I teased, holding him close.

“You can stuff my stocking anytime.” He waggled his eyebrows at me.

“Maybe…” I sucked my lower lip in. “Maybe we could do this thing just for December.”

Nolan made an indignant noise. “December is days away. How about we start now?”

“Someone’s impatient.” I gave him a fast kiss. “And just warning you now, the house isn’t soundproof.”

“I can be quiet.” He was all earnest, but I wasn’t buying it.

“You? You’re used to playing to a packed theater.” I faked a scoff as I went and locked my door.

“And I live in a little studio with neighbors,” he countered before sauntering to the bed. “Come on, let’s get in bed.”

“You’re hard to resist, you know that?” I let him pull me over to where he stood at the foot of the bed.

“Well, something’s hard.” Nolan gleefully pointed at my fly.

“Yeah, you tend to have that effect.”

“Do I?” Nolan cooed, all pleased with himself. He pushed at my T-shirt until I shrugged it off. “You don’t have any tats? I thought all surfers were tatted up.”

“Fear of needles.” I pursed my lips, bracing for the inevitable teasing or minimizing. “It’s silly.”

“I can see having that fear.” Nolan stroked a hand down my chest. “It’s not silly. I’m over thirty and still prefer to sleep with a light on somewhere in the apartment.”

“I’ll leave a light on for you.” I kissed him softly, a thank you for understanding.

In keeping with his impatience theme, Nolan shoved the rest of my clothing off, but I took my time with him, unbuttoning his short-sleeve shirt. Despite the dark hair on his head, he had sparse body hair and more freckles than I would have expected. I let my fingers play connect-the-dots on my way past his small pink nipples to the waistband of his shorts.

I made a show of slowly undoing his fly, loving the way he let out a low hiss. His cock was a perfect fit for my hand, and I jacked it a few times before releasing it in favor of launching myself onto the bed.

“Now, let’s see how quiet you can be.” I patted the bed next to me. Despite my teasing, I wasn’t that worried about noise, and I was game for pretty much whatever Nolan might want.

“You know there’s one way to ensure I’m quiet.” Kneeling next to me, he danced his fingers down my chest, following them with a suggestive kiss right in the center of my chest.

“A shovel?” I couldn’t resist joking. “Or a gag?”

“Ha.” He licked his way down my belly, teasing my stripe of hair there. “How about we keep my mouth busy?”

“I like that idea even better.” I stifled a groan as Nolan wasted no time in swallowing my cock. And for a guy who could barely swim, he sure had impressive lung capacity, sinking all the way to my base and staying there until I was panting.

He made a sexy picture as well, kneeling over me, expression one of deep concentration. I pulled both pillows behind my head so I could better watch. Glancing up, he met my gaze with knowing eyes and held it as he retreated up my shaft a millimeter at a time.

“Holy hell,” I moaned as he slid back down, mouth soft and giving, tongue in on the fun. Staying power was usually something I could count on, but not if Nolan was this determined to win a Tony award in cocksucking…

“Now who’s loud?” Nolan raised his eyebrows at me.

“Trying not to be,” I muttered. My efforts were made that much more difficult as he discovered that teasing directly below the cockhead with his tongue got me wriggling against the cotton sheets. “Okay, that’s sexy as fuck.”

“Shush.” Nolan made the sound right against my cock, and a shiver raced up my spine. And then he went deep again, and of course, I moaned softly because he felt so damn good. If he stopped again, I was going to throw something, possibly him.

“That.” I let a desperate sound escape my throat as he found a devastating rhythm. He made eye contact again, letting me see how much he was enjoying himself, how his whole focus was on this and nothing else, and how very much he wanted me to come.

“Gonna…” I whispered.

“I certainly hope so.” Nolan doubled down on going deep and sucking hard while somehow managing extra friction under the head.

“Yeah.” I turned my face into the pillow, biting it as I came in perfect waves, the kind I wanted to surf forever, carrying me high on pleasure and setting me softly back down again.

“What do you want for you?” I asked huskily. I wasn’t sure I could muster enough spit to blow him properly, but I’d sure as hell try.

“What I always want.” Nolan gave an easy laugh. “An audience.”

He swung a leg across my thighs, straddling me. He peered down, evidently pleased at his handiwork of reducing me to a boneless puddle.

“You stay right there, looking blissed out,” he ordered as he started to stroke his cock. A true performer, he used long strokes and let his head fall back, revealing his neck and making one erotic picture.

“Fuck, you’re hot, Nolan.” Ignoring his command to lie back, I reached for his thighs, holding on as he stroked faster and faster.

“Thank you,” he said primly as if he wasn’t jerking off over me after just sucking my every last brain cell out through my cock. He added a little twist at the top of his strokes. “God, this feels good. I like you watching me.”

“I’m watching, all right.” I held his gaze as he had with me, staring deep into his eyes, which was a mistake because damn if I didn’t feel a connection that went much deeper than sex.

“Oh, your eyes,” Nolan gasped, and no way could I look away. “Keep looking at me.”

“That’s it. Get yourself there.” I urged him on by caressing his flexing thighs and giving all the eye contact he craved. “Give me a good show.”

“Oh.” His mouth fell open and his eyes went glassy as he came, painting my abs with his come. A wave of pure delight crossed his face, and he laughed. “Oh wow.”

“Are you always so happy when you come?” I had to ask because the laughter was a first for me, but I liked it. A lot. And I couldn’t wait to inspire it again.

“Pretty much.” He chuckled again as he collapsed next to me.

“Good. I like it. I like you happy.” I dropped a kiss on his head.

“I aim to please,” Nolan said archly before I retrieved a towel from the bathroom to wipe off my stomach. I stretched out next to him, and he flopped his head onto my shoulder like we’d done this a thousand times before.

“Good night, Nolan.” I flipped off the light to sleep and so he wouldn’t see how much I liked this familiarity and cozy cuddles. I inhaled deeply, trying to memorize Nolan’s scent and warmth. If our arrangement was only for the holidays, I wanted to make the most of this unexpected connection, no matter how much it was likely to hurt in the end.